WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY
ISSUE 2: APRIL 2018
VISION The Walter Sisulu University (WSU), in pursuit of its vision as a developmental university, will promote basic and applied research and innovation that is consistent with best practice and contributes to developmental impact.
MISSION To provide and maintain the highest possible standards in research through co-operative relationship between the research entities of the University and its faculties.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND RESEARCH
DVC’S COLUMN
Prof Mahlomaholo Geoffrey MAHLOMAHOLO The Office of the Deputy ViceChancellor for Academic Affairs and Research (DVC: AAR) at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) has given me the opportunity to see the story of women transcendence against all odds unfold in action. In spite of what the debates among the cultural, traditional and postmodern feminists could be; around who and/or what constitutes ‘Woman’, I am persuaded beyond any reasonable doubt about the academic and research prowess as well as general intellectual power resident in this subject positioning/person of a woman. If you are a Black woman researcher working at a Historically Disadvantaged university, serving communities which are defined as the poorest of the poor in rural contexts with limited access to privileges of modern day technologies, financial and other resources; becoming a rated researcher, is just an almost impossibility. And if you are a wife and a mother, who is employed and has a family to look after; the possibility becomes doubly removed. But if on top of all these, you are a Back woman who is pushed to the extreme margins of research because of social stereotypes about what the role of woman should be, then you need a miracle to even write a coherent research abstract.
These obstacles referred to above, have however not prevent women researchers at WSU to scale those dizzying heights of research excellence. For example; the Acting Director and the driver of the WSU research project is a woman, more than 40% of rated researchers at WSU are women, a significant number of academic deans and heads of departments who provide research leadership are women, there is also a strong representation of women who publish is areas of natural, health, economic and management sciences, to mention a few.
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In conclusion, it is worth noting that the research output at WSU is at its emergent stage, and this implies that more effort should be spend on removing all the hurdles against women. More is and should be done to acknowledge and create greater spaces for even more women to discover the power they have in the service of their communities and research excellence at WSU. Ndinga Ndaka Ndini, your home is high in the skies!
CONTENTS Vision and Misson .............................................................................................................page 1 DVC’s Column ................................................................................................................page 2 Women Executive Leaders ................................................................................................page 4 Research in the Queenstown Campus ................................................................................page 5 Communications academics represent in Greece..................................................................page 6 Women challenging male dominated fields..........................................................................page 7 IT lecturer among SA Tech Industry’s most influential women..............................................page 8 OTT Campaign................................................................................................................page 10 Grant writing workshop...................................................................................................page 11 Women and the Legal Profession......................................................................................page 12 Balancing family life and career in research as a woman....................................................page 14 Woman in Research.........................................................................................................page 16 Women in Supervision.....................................................................................................page 18 Gallery...........................................................................................................................page 19
Stories written by: Ongezwa Sigodi Intern Journalist: Research Office Email: ongezwasigodi@gmail.com osigodi@wsu.ac.za T: 047 502 2819 C: 072 933 8540
Anita Roji Intern Journalist: Research Office Email: anitaroji.anie@gmail.com aroji@wsu.ac.za T: 047 502 2819 C: 078 069 6133
Please contact one of our intern journalists regarding any research stories you might have.
Layout and Design by Linda Mynhardt Department of Marketing, Communications and Advancement
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WOMEN EXECUTIVE LEADERS Women at WSU have taken on leadership positions with pride, working towards achieving the university’s vision and mission. Regardless of the social challenge woman face such as social oppression, these women are taking on their leadership roles head-on and achieving at their level best. One of these women is Yonela Tukwayo, Senior Director of Marketing, Communications and Advancement (MCA) at WSU. “For me it means empowerment. I am empowered to be the best that I can be without gender constraints. We come from a very patriarchal society, not just communities but the country as a whole,” she said. Tukwayo said that patriarchy cuts across all races in South Africa where males dominate and control every aspect of society, from business to communities and families. Also within the executive leadership is Human Resources Executive Director, Sandra Nduli, who recently took on the leadership role in the university. “For me, being a woman in leadership
means that I have to demonstrate good qualities and lead by example. This entails effective consultation, communication and guidance for the team being led,” she said. She added that the leader’s primary role is to take the team she leads with her in terms of development and empowerment. She said to achieve this, effective leaders have a clear vision, mission and values that are shared with the team. “It is important, therefore, to share values of excellence, integrity, service and respect to foster change and transform the totality of the unit being led,” said Nduli Also in the leadership ranks is librarian, Phakama Mosuang, who is in charge of two libraries based at the Queenstown campus. Mosuang travels between two sites at the campus between Queenstown and Whittlesea where the libraries are situated. “I believe that women can do a lot. Dealing with different students from different campuses is very difficult but I am a woman, I can lead, I can manage, I can be responsible,” she said.
Yonela Tukwayo, Senior Director of Marketing, Communications and Advancement (MCA) 4
Mosuang explained that she perceives women leaders as strong because they are easily approachable as they can act as leaders and mothers at any time where necessary. “I have to take care of my family then come to the institution to take care of the students. All these children and their futures partly (family & students) depend on me,” she said. Meanwhile, Tukwayo further highlighted the struggles faced by many women in leadership, asserting that women are primary care givers in all aspects of her life. “The reality is that I am a mother and I am duty-bound to mother and nurture my children. Being a woman in leadership means I carry extra pressure compared to my male counterparts, because I am the primary care-giver and nurturer at home and must still be a leader at work,” said Tukwayo. Moreover, Nduli said women in leadership need to embody their role. “Embodiment of our roles allows for acceptance and succeeding in all that women set up to achieve especially in leadership roles,” she concluded. -Ongezwa Sigodi
RESEARCH IN THE QUEENSTOWN CAMPUS Queenstown campus’s affinity for hard work and dedication is embodied in various female academics who juggle between their studies, work and raising families. Khululwa Spelman, an Information Systems lecturer currently enrolled for a Master’s degree in Higher Education at the University of Free State said juggling between work, school and home is a challenge but is not fazed. “I am currently juggling between three studies, my study for Master’s and two that I am currently collaborating with my colleagues and having to teach four modules between Queenstown Site and Whittlesea Site. I however don’t mind staying on campus till 10pm to catch up on my work, even at home, I make every minute count,” said Spelman.
and lecturing in two departments. Despite having a lot of work on her table, she is still determined to finish her research. “When I started with research in 2012, my abstract was accepted but I could not finish the paper because of health issues. Again last year in a conference in Polokwane the paper was accepted but because of time and lots of work I could not finish the paper. I am now currently collaborating with other colleagues and we will present the papers at the Nelson Mandela University,” said Mini.
Her research paper for her Masters focuses on exploring whether examinations can be used as an instrument to foster or propel the students in to self-regulated lifelong developmental learning post-qualification. Besides her own studies, she is also juggling two research studies, collaborating with colleagues. One of the studies focuses on exploring how defused is the use of electronic assessment in a rural university, whilst the other looks at the use of mobile devices for teaching and learning in rural universities. Nomazwe Mini, a lecturer in Public Management and Local Government, is one of the female academics who work tirelessly, juggling between being part of many societies within the campus
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Departmental head in the education, finance and management faculty, Dr Wendy Mashologu, said reading is the most important tool in research. “I always advise my supervisees to read a lot of books - one can never be a researcher if they are lazy to read and education is very important and I advise women to work hard because you don’t just get awarded titles you earn them through your hard work and education,” said Dr Mashologu. -Anita Roji
COMMUNICATIONS ACADEMICS REPRESENT WSU IN GREECE Two academics in the Department of Corporate Communication and Marketing at WSU have recently returned following an informative trip to Greece in what was a packed programme. Lynn Wood, a Communications lecturer in the department heaped praise upon her departmental head, Dr Van Der Spuy, for continuously encouraging her staff members to participate in conferences. Wood submitted the abstract of the paper to the organisers, ATINER, after which the paper was accepted for presentation at the (10th Annual International Conference on Literature from the 5-8th of June). “I had been trying to prepare a model on Visual Literacy and was grappling with the issue of humour and the way in which it could be interpreted in various cultures. An open invitation was extended to the other lecturers to join me in a discussion on humour; three of my colleagues joined me. I was leading the paper followed by Dr Van Der Spuy and fellow lectures Lakshmi Jayakrishnan and Vasti Pienaar,” said Wood. She also added that the conference was a great networking platform and an eye opening session about challenges experienced back at home. “Attending an international conference is always exciting and provides a wonderful opportunity to meet and interact with academics from all over the world. It is always comforting to hear that the challenges we face at home are similar to the ones that they, too, face”, said Wood. Communications lecturer Mona said she was thrilled at the experience as it was her first time at an international conference. Dr van der Spuy, said it is important that all researchers in the department get exposed to international platforms and have the opportunity to participate in such undertakings.
“My first-time experience at the conference was fantastic. It has empowered my leadership skills to be strong and powerful. It was great exposure to stand in the midst of such well respected and renowned academics,” said Mona. Mona’s paper looked at the challenges faced by isiXhosa first language lecturers at tertiary level.
“We have been able to build relationships that have stood us in good stead, because we are asked to participate in other research opportunities or to act as peer reviewers on international journals,” added Dr van der Spuy.
“My research was motivated by the fact that isiXhosa is gradually losing its origin as a language and nothing is being done. In South Africa, generally in schools and universities in particular, the language is not a medium of instruction,” she added.
-Anita Roji
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WOMEN CHALLENGING MALE DOMINATED FIELDS
The shortage of women in male perceived industries in South Africa is still alarming even though women are working very hard to close the gap. Female lectures and academics at WSU are trying to reverse the trend of male domination in the industry so as to increase female representation in the industry. Nthabiseng Mfabane, a lecturer in Civil Engineering, Buffalo City Campus said: “There are only two women in the engineering department out of 12 staff members and it’s not easy with students because you have to work twice as hard to prove that you’re as capable as your male counterparts.” Her female counterpart, Faith Nleya, said that she has been in the industry for a considerable period and has never been treated any less because she is a female. She says she wishes women would stop undermining their own potential and challenge themselves. “Males are still dominant in the field, even in the classroom you’ll find that out of 40 students in a class there’s only about 10 females. I attribute this to how we are socialised in our societies, - that women have to do social work and take care of
people and leave the hard labour to males.” said Nleya. Nosibabalo Phethe, a 2nd year Building student at the Buffalo City campus, says her love for building started when she was in grade 10. She says she has never looked back and one of the things that has helped her is never identifying herself by gender, but by her capabilities. “Being in construction for me is a great challenge. Yes, I made mistakes before and got judged for them because I am a woman, but who doesn’t make mistakes? I firstly had to prove to myself that I can do this before proving it to the world because it starts from within and with the confidence I conquered. As women we need to change the mentality of thinking that our place is in the office wearing high heels, we belong everywhere we want to go to,” said Phethe. These women shared the sentiment that there is still a lot that still needs to be done in high schools to teach female learners about their abilities and for them to overcome and defy societies’ perceptions and expectations. -Anita Roji
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IT LECTURER AMONG SA TECH INDUSTRY’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN WSU IT lecturer in the Applied Informatics and Mathematical Sciences Dr Sibongiseni Tunzelana Thotsejane, who holds a PhD in Information Systems from UCT and also currently studying towards a doctorate in Business Administration with the University of Bath in the UK, has been crowned by the Inspiring Fifty Campaign, as one of the most Inspirational Women in South African Technology and Innovation for 2017.
#CoCreateSA. The project, initiated by Dutch duo Janneke Niessen and Joelle Frijters, is aimed at celebrating and lauding women’s efforts in the technology-related sector, and then leveraging that exposure to encourage the fifty to inspire young girls and point them out to opportunities available to them. “The person and organisations that nominated me in April 2017 nominated me on the basis of having been a co-founder and Chief Information Officer of FlavaLite Innovations, a multi-award winning ICT start-up. The award has motivated me to put in more effort in inspiring and serving more people consciously, especially my first-year students that I serve at WSU,” said a humbled Tunzelana.
A total of 252 nominations for the tech industry’s most influential women in the fields of academics, entrepreneurs, corporate, journalism and venture capitalism, were made across the country through the Inspiring Fifty Campaign. The campaign launched the awards for the first time in South Africa in cooperation with the Kingdom of the Netherlands and
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importantly, her students. Dr Tunzelana uses her wealth of knowledge and entrepreneurial flair and talent facilitate learning and treat each Student as an individual to prepare them for either being an entrepreneur or for them to be better positioned for being employable. “I also reach out to some of my Mentors and Associates that I have met globally to come and assist me as Guest Lecturers. I make use of video’s, mobile devices, digital platforms and social media to facilitate Teaching and Learning.”
Flavalite Innovations, a 100% women-owned and black-owned company which Dr Tunzelana co-founded in 2011 with her sister Unathi Tunzelana, and friend Matsepo Africa, is a ground-breaking technology company aimed at pioneering innovative products in Information Technology (IT) service delivery. ”Our vision is to pioneer innovative IT solutions, including convenient and secure e-ticketing services for events management companies, governments, entertainment companies, sporting events, inspirational events, innovators and early adopters. We also want to blaze a trail in web analytics strategic solutions,” said Dr Tunzelana.
“I expose first year Students to tools and methodologies of doing research, critically thinking, reasoning, reflections, working as an individual, working within a group, having spiritual values, living their own defined values and being free to dream without limits,” she said.
Her dynamism in the field is matched only by her experience, just over two decades worth, which has seen her transcend the disciplines of business and academia.
So passionate is Tunzelana about WSU that she, as part of her responsibilities as one the winners of the competition, has placed the University as a top priority in her submissions to the Inspiring Fifty Campaign as a means to produce solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the institution.
Dr Tunzelana has amassed her stripes as an astute, techno-savvy academic and leader in some of the biggest institutions in the world, including Google, where she conducted research on innovation at the company. She also conducted extensive research in the area of Internet Analytics in Canada at Ryerson University’s Institute for Innovation and Technology Management.
Her submission includes the facilitating of sustainable linkages for exchange programs for Lecturers of WSU to the Netherlands; linkages for work integrated learning (WIL) and experiential training for Lecturers of WSU to the Netherlands; sustainable linkages for exchange programs for Students of WSU to the Netherlands; Sustainable linkages for experienced and qualified Guest Lecturers with Applied Expertise to WSU from every part of the world; as well as funding for adding to the core functions of WSU namely: teaching and learning, research and community engagement
“I was the first and former CIO at the Victoria and Alfred (V & A) Waterfront in Cape Town. I’ve added value in leadership workshops for the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) and Science, Engineering and Technology for Women (SET4W). I’ve also done a program by Innovation Hub and Maxum in collaboration with the University of Baltimore in the USA for a program for Women in ICT,” she said. Her passion, innovation and dynamism in the lecture hall have endeared her on her colleagues, and, most
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OTT CAMPAIGN
Research communities and students were gathered at the executive dining hall at Walter Sisulu university, NMD site to attend a campaign for the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) in the university in August. A number of students flocked into the campaign to listen to presentations that were held by various representatives of different departments from around the country. One of these departments ids National Intellectual Property Management Office in Pretoria which is founded by the Department of Science and Technology Representing this department was Dr Elmary Buis who made a presentation on the protection of intellectual property for researchers. “The sole purpose of this office is to protect the inventions of people, to facilitate intellectual property that comes from publicly financed research institute and develop these to a market so that it can be a product or service,” said Buis. She went on to explain that the office ensures that other countries in the world get most of their innovations from South African Intellectual Property(IP) and develop it to receive financial gains. “It
is
important
to
protect
our
country’s IP because in the future a country’s wealth will be determined by the amount of IP they have produced. There is a lot of money going into research in our country but we have few recognised IPs hence there is the OTT,” she said. Present in the Acting Director of the Directorate of Research Development, Dr Nomabandla Cishe, the Acting Director Dr Motebang Nakin and the Manager of the OTT, Dr Nkosinathi Sotshangane. “Our responsibility is to familiarize researchers within the institution as to how they can protect their intellectual right,” said Sotshangana. On the other hand, 3rd year Law student, Abongile Nkamisa, said she found the campaign very useful for her because she is interested in practising Intellectual Property Law. “I am interested in understanding how we, as lawyers, can protect people’s IP’s. I think it is very important to have the OTT in our university as people need to understand how they gain from their inventions and how they can work together with their funders to innovate,” she said. Nkamisa went on to say that it is imperative for every community to
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have these kind of offices so as to motivate people to invent for their gain. Another 3rd year law student, Toka Moeketsi, is aspiring to be on the innovative side of things. He is currently conducting research on improving intra-communications network, GroupWise, and he is planning to present his outcomes in a conference. “I’m here because I am hoping to get information on IP as I also want to research to innovate. It is a great path to take if you want to understand your rights as an inventor,” he said. Mokoetsi said it brings him great joy to know that there is an office that is in place, specifically for the exposure and protection of innovator’s rights. Meanwhile, Dr Cishe said she was very happy with the turnout of the students and leaders of research communities as it shows that they are dedicated and hungry for innovative research. “As the research office, we will make sure that this office gets maximum support from us so that it can serve WSU to its level best,“ she said. -Ongezwa Sigodi
GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP The Welcome Trust for Infectious Diseases in Africa in collaboration with National Institute of Health (NIH) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) held a two-day workshop on research methods, in August. The collaborators had a supplementary grant for Walter Sisulu University (WSU) and Sefako Makgatho University as previously disadvantaged universities to support three fellowships from both universities for non-clinical and clinical fellowship for 18 months. Professor Robert Wilkinson from the Welcome Trust said, “We were asked to consider putting in a supplementary award in order to develop capacity for previously disadvantaged universities to be able to compete at the same level as us. So the workshop is designed to empower some of the skills necessary to do that. As well as to develop students in their own research ideas and thirdly to identify three candidates for three fellowship opportunities in
the programme.” In the workshop students and staff members from the Faculty of Health Sciences were taught ways and skills to write grants and especially in the standard of NIH so that they can get funding. Yolande Harley, Research Enterprise Manager at the University of Cape Town said, “when researchers write grants they should think about what the funder wants, a lot of people focus on what they want to do and its importance, it’s important that science is something that you feel passionate about but you need to think about it from the funder’s perspective. What do they want to fund? what do they need to hear? What do you need to tell them? So its about taking the Science you want to do but putting it in words that explain why is it important to them.” To identify the three deserving candidates, the collaborators will
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take into consideration the person, place and project and will put out a call for applications and consultation with candidates through the research office. “We are looking for people with good potential, with a good idea and a project that is feasible which will link the expertise from Havard with WSU expertise in our project and in any language in medical science,” said Prof Wilkinson. Dr Mda from the Faculty of Health Sciences said, “This is something that could be life changing for someone who gets the fellowship because it would be an entry point to the international research, to collaborate with bigger institutes and it opens more doors because you get to interact with people, it is a very good exposure.” -Anita Roji
WOMEN AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Introduction The legal profession has undergone significant change that can be traced to the ushering of democracy in the country. Attempts at feminisation of the profession have not been as successful as initially envisaged. The legal profession is faced with challenges of transformation in a legal environment that was traditionally dominated by males, white males for that matter. Top positions in the profession, from partners in law firms to senior counsel were, and are still largely occupied by males, white males in particular. There have been limited inroads into senior positions by female professionals, both in the judiciary and the faculties of law in universities. All is not lost for women – this dispensation is for those who are ready to empower themselves. Entering the profession Although the above situation remains and may continue to obtain for a decade or so, women’s entry and rising representation in law faculties and the legal profession is remarkable, if not revolutionary. This is a result, partly, of women themselves becoming more conscious of their independence, their abilities and their need individually to liberate themselves from the mentality that they are appendages to men. This re-awakening has opened up doors that were previously closed to women.
For decades women were almost denied entry into the legal profession, and the stereotype persisted that law is the preserve of male persons in general, and white males in particular. There were challenges for women. As Kay and Gorman observed: ‘Women’s admission to law was but the initial stage. The next stage was, once qualified, the search for employment.’ Women, rather than challenge the status quo, seemed content in their positions as cleaners and tea-girls in the offices of male attorneys and judges, and those that eventually qualified had no hope of progressing to the prestigious positions of judge, senior counsel or professor. The professors in law faculties were invariably male. The few women that managed to get to the top were suffocated by the dominance of men, could not influence change and had to conform to standards set for them by men. The effect of the constitution on women The catalyst for change came with the introduction of the interim Constitution, and later the final Constitution. Section 9 of the Constitution specifically entrenches the right to equality, and provides that the state may not unfairly discriminate, directly or indirectly, against anyone. The equality clause 12
OPINION PIECE Prof PN Makiwane, Public Law, WSU, Mthatha
is buttressed by section 8 which effectively recognises that everyone has inherent dignity. This constitutional relief may have contributed to the surge in numbers of women students into the law faculties. Together with the Constitution, affirmative action also contributes to an increased number of, in particular, black women in law faculties, contributing to an increase of female employees in private practice, the law faculties and the courts. Cohen reports as follows on the effect of affirmative action: By the time South Africa gained independence in 1994, all but five of the country’s 165 judges were white men. A headcount earlier this year [2013] found that 100 black men and 49 black women, 71 white men and 21 white women served as judges… in 1990, of the 829 magistrate in South Africa, 811 were white, eleven were Asian, five were of mixed racial descent and two were black. Today [2013], 974 are black and 687 are white, 647 are woman and 1014 are men. In 2013, gender demographics of the Constitutional Court remained the same as in 1994 – nine male and two female judges. In 2016 the court had 8 male judges (two of whom are now retired) and 3 female judges. We assume that the vacancies created by the departure of the two justices will be taken by over by qualified women. We should pride ourselves that
the current Council Chairperson at our university, Judge Dambuza, is a woman, and that the current President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Judge Maya, is also a woman who is closely associated with this university. These are role models for our young woman. Some challenges Because of the friendly environment for women since 1994, there has been an increased entry of women into the legal profession and, in the faculties of law, there is now parity with male students. There is no doubt that women are still confronted with gender stereotypes and bias, disparagement and sexual harassment at the hands of their male counterparts. Universities are infested with rapists from within and outside campuses. Most men who are already in the legal profession look at successful women with resentment and scorn. As Rhode noted: There is a ‘mismatch between characteristics associated with women and those associated with professional success, such as assertiveness and competitiveness’. Women, in her view, risk being characterised as too “soft” or too “strident”, “aggressive” or “not aggressive enough”. Assertiveness in a man is often interpreted as abrasiveness in a woman. Conclusion The
country
ought 13
to
be
applauded for the strides taken to liberate women from the shackles of oppression. Barriers to women’s entry into the legal profession have all but disappeared. This is evidenced by the number of graduating students, the majority of whom are women. These female graduates feed into the legal profession, thereby potentially increasing the number of women to positions previously occupied by males. The universities, on the other hand, struggle to get qualified female lecturers, mainly because universities require a minimum masters’ qualification to become a lecturer. Poverty, it is my view, forces female students into practice after obtaining the first qualification in order to relieve struggling families. However, women who progress to a masters’ qualification or beyond stand a good chance to reap the fruits of affirmative action early. Women, it has been my observation, tend to be more focused than men in their studies. We salute women for their competitiveness, and believe that Women’s Month is for them a month of commitment to empower themselves further, to engage men and challenge male stereotypes associated with femininity. This short script cannot be complete without a plea to ‘men’ to be men, not boys, and not to be abusive towards their female counterparts. Phambili makhosikazi omthetho phambili!!
BALANCING FAMILY LIFE AND CAREER IN RESEARCH AS A WOMAN Finding an appropriate balance between an academic career and family responsibilities has been difficult for me as a woman and an aspiring researcher.
classes affected my studies because I sometimes missed classes. I also lost my father –in- law in July of the same year and could not write some of the semester modules during examination time.
I have to perform the bulk of family work which includes childrearing, domestic chores, and care for my family members. When I enrolled with UNISA for my B.Ed. Honours, it was not easy for me to keep or maintain a healthy balance between work-life and studies.
In 2013, I enrolled with University of Fort Hare for the Degree of Doctor of Literature and Philosophy in Applied Linguistics. The demands of my career and academic work forced me to resign in 2015, after 19 years as a teacher. I then concentrated on my studies.
The mistake I made was to register as a full time student and thus had to study for a course that I was supposed to complete within two years as a part-time student. I had to work extreme hours and at the same time trying to maintain a vibrant family life by taking advantage of highquality childcare and staying focused on my studies and be organized. I could not believe when I realised that I had passed all the modules in one year.
This was not an easy decision to make. I knew that the best way to equip myself and hone my research skills was to further my studies. This became strenuous for me.It was not easy to convince my partner and children about my own life and career priorities but still I appreciate their support. As a family we found ourselves being faced with compromises that each of us had to make. There were times when I wished I was a man - I would envy men with all the time that they have and wished I could use it for
When I registered with Walter Sisulu University for a Master of Education degree in 2009, I was pregnant and gave birth in June. Having a baby and having to attend
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OPINION PIECE Dr Nophawu Madikiza both my studies and my personal life.
and qualifications that we have, I believe that we are still overlooked at our places of work and our male counterparts still hold the upper hand.
I was not able to spend long hours in the library although I wanted to because I am a wife and a mother and I had to go home early and could not spend the odd hours doing my research.
This, I say because there are still few women in management positions and most top positions are still occupied by men. There are countless advances to ensure growth of women in PhD graduates and academics but we still see few representation.
Balancing life and career is a highly personal challenge for me but the need for money to help make ends meet, independence and personal development drives me to work.
I was also intimidated by a larger number of males in research and I thought I would not make it. Even during my graduation day there were only 3 PhD female grandaunds amongst a countable number of male grandaunds.
My determination has not just seen me being part of statistics as one of the country’s female PhD graduates but the realisation of my dream as a researcher by being employed as a researcher at the Directorate of Research Development at WSU for the past 3 years and currently as Postdoctoral Research Fellow attached to the same department.
Women have proved to be as competent as men and what is needed is for them to be recognised and be engaged fully. If we want to see transformation and gender parity in the work place, women need to believe in themselves and know that through hard work and determination, they are guaranteed to reach their goals. One should start believing in oneself, knowing who you are and your capabilities, no matter what impediments, is also key for one to succeed in life.
My involvement with the Research Office has exposed me to a number of community developmental projects. The journey has not been an easy one, especially coming from a different field. I became reserved, withdrawn, uncomfortable and not confident but taking every opportunity at hand and learning.
To all women who aspire to be researchers; it is still time and if you want to see change start with yourself and you will make a world a better place. It is not easy to juggle, some things will be compromised along the way but it is worth doing. If we want to see change we need to know that, “nothing for us without us” Kufayayo maqobokazana, backwards never, forward ever!!
I am happy to say that against all odds I have managed to try balance my life and am happy with the achievements I have made so far. I believe that I am where I am because I have not let the barriers deter me from living my dream and I am still setting my eyes for even higher heights. Despite the hard work we put as women, experience
Dr Nophawu Madikiza is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at WSU’s Directorate for Research Development
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WOMAN IN RESEARCH
It is not an easy thing to be an emerging femaleresearcher in a male-dominated field. It has been a man world for years; the playground is not level instead it is bumpy and warped but I am determined to succeed. I am among the few emerging femaleresearchers who are enjoying and excited to take up the challenge because of the tremendous support I am getting from other female-researchers surrounding me. It takes a lot of courage, determination, commitment, perseverance and hard work for a female researcher to be recognised and your work to be appreciated. I must admit that it is quite challenging because you have to work ten times more for you to be acknowledged unlike your male-researcher counterparts. To proof that Research field is still dominated by male-researchers (though marked strides are being taken to close that gap) is that at the institution where I am working as a Research Fellow; we were 11 Research Fellows and out of 11 only two were females. Unfortunately the other female Research Fellow quitted and I was and I am the only female Research Fellow left working with 9 male-Research Fellows. This became my first challenge I experienced to be the only female among males. This created fear in me and the environment was intimidating and I had to prove myself that research had nothing to do with gender it was only a question of perception. I am attached to the Faculty of Education, Finance & Management – a very large Faculty where I am mandated to work with more than 30 academics. Out of more than 30 academics, 5 are PhD holders, out of 5 only one is a female. These statistics prove again that Research is still viewed as complex and still controlled by men. However, steps are being taken to engage women academics in research.
Research Director knew very well that I was stuck and to my amazement, she chipped in and grabbed me by her hand and started to walk the journey together. I was sent to different research-related workshops to be groomed and grounded. Through her guidance I started publishing and organising workshops for my colleagues too. She gave me an opportunity to attend International Research Conferences in and beyond the South African borders. I am talking of women in leadership in my field. The female leaders and other female academics I work with don’t have the pull her down syndrome instead there is team spirit. The male academics I am working with are supporting me, they have accepted me and are really proud of me that there is change in our Campus because of my presence. When you talk of research, some people begin to fear because it was a preserve for only a few elite/ academics especially men. It was a challenge I faced, I wanted to change that perception but I could not do this alone. I engaged my female-research Director and she advised me to run a workshop on demystifying research. We organised a three-day workshop and invited external facilitators to unpack it. It was tremendously successful and my colleagues slowly but surely started enjoying research. For this year only the Research Directorate supported and funded more than twelve academics from our Campus to go and attend big International Research Conferences organised by some local universities. That is why I said I have a different story to tell, life at work was supposed to be difficult but because of people surrounding me and who believed in me that I was competent do it and had earned it, I did not face resistance from some men and women who do not perceive that women can do it right.
With the support I am getting from other femaleresearchers in leadership, I have a different story to tell. There are generalised sentiments that women in leadership are difficult and insensitive to their employees as compensatory behaviour because it is claimed that they think that colleagues undermine and despise them because they are women leaders. I personally have not encountered that challenge from my female-leaders.
Their support gave me the zeal to work harder for the betterment of our Campus and subsequently our Institution. Now I need to be confident and perform my duties to the best of my ability knowing that I have five senses just like any man so why should I allow the environment to intimidate me? Ability
As an emerging female-researcher, I did not know where to draw the line to start the ball rolling. Where I was posted there was no one who could help me sing the song I was assigned to sing. My female16
OPINION PIECE Dr N Marongwe
is not in the gender but in how much you know and the input you are bringing in for the advancement of any organisation/company or institution you are working for. Let women in leadership positions be gallant since things are changing and being absorbed in different spaces. Sometimes women in positions may underperform succumbing to the pressure around but my story is different. Yes, it takes us women to be the change we want to see. Let us stand up and believe in ourselves. Let us rally behind those women in leadership positions or those aspiring to be in those positions. Things are not smooth sailing out there without backing each other. Let us tell
ourselves that we are equally competent and intelligent as men; we are not in competition but we are there to complement each other and bring the best out of us for the goodness of our society. Let us join those challenging fields that used to be male-dominated; we all originated from the same Creator. Men are prepared to change (and some have started changing and supporting us) if they see that we really mean it and that we are not fighting men but fighting for positions. We have what it takes. Yes, like what the former USA President Barack Obama used to say, ‘Yes, together we can make it’.
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WOMEN IN SUPERVISION
Earlier this year, two women attended several supervision courses in the attempts to gain and improve their skills in the world of supervision.
about students being interested in contributing to existing Knowledge while she will be helping them reach their destinations.
From the Queenstown campus is Dr Wendy Mashologu who is a lecturer and the Head of Department in the Department of Education. Mashologu has been in the world of supervision for five years.
“I am the first time supervisor and I am looking forward to be competent in effective supervision practices that will develop the student/s research ability,” she said.
“The world of supervising is very exciting because students come to me raw and I have the privilege of watching the grow,” she said. Mashologu started supervising in 2013 and is currently supervising one Masters student and one PhD students from the NMD campus. “I supervise out of my heart, I like it because I know I am developing another human being. It’s part of the betterment of mankind,” she said. Meanwhile, Nondwe Mtshatsha from the Butterworth campus joins the supervision world for the first time this year. Mtshatsha was most excited
Even though she is a woman and a first time supervisor, Mtshatsha said she is entering this field with confidence and dedication as she would like to support students and support them in their academic journey. “I see myself as an academic, not as a woman. An academic who has a responsibility to guide students who want to rise to higher echelons in education,” she said. Mtshatsha together with Mashologu and other respected academics, attended a Supervision workshop in July this year, which was conducted by Rhodes University where existing and new supervisors were introduced to new tactics to tackle supervising. 18
“Attending the supervision workshop in East London was a great insightful experience that capacitated me with knowledge and skills to manage the research process well,” said Mtshatsha. Professor Grace George from the Health Sciences in NMD site describes the world of supervision as a plot to support and develop young minds, guiding them into perusing knowledge. “Particularly in research you are guiding and grooming students to pursue the creation of new knowledge. It is through them you develop your ideas and form a team around your ideas,” said George. Meanwhile, Mtshatsha said that supervising is a great opportunity for teaching and learning for both the student and the academic. “Research supervision will contribute to the development of both the research supervisor and the research student and to the university research output,” she said. -Ongezwa Sigodi
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